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Cherished heirloom finds its way back to granddaughter in Medford Heirloom finds its way back to a family that cherished it By Buffy Pollock for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Buffy Pollock for the Mail Tribune Posted Jun. 14, 2016 @ 4:56 pm By Buffy Pollock for the Mail Tribune Posted Jun. 14, 2016 @ 4:56 pm » Social News p bs:newslist StartDate="20121121" EndDate="p bs:datecalc Months="3"" DateSort="1" UseObjects="1" ObjectClass="81" Taxonomywords="2325,665" ExactTaxonomyMatch="1" Image="1" Count="4" --> While the late Melvin Spicer created perhaps hundreds of paintings during his retirement, his favorite was his very first, a copy of a painting by 18th-century artist Jean-Honore Fragonard titled "A Young Girl Reading." "It was the very first painting he did when he was first teaching himself to oil paint," said his granddaughter, Medford resident Sunny Spicer. "It was his most cherished possession, and it was my grandma's, too. "Everywhere that they lived, they hung it up, and they just really, really loved it. When my grandpa was dying, he asked that we rehang it so he would still be able to see it." After her grandfather died two years ago, Spicer, executive director of Kid Time! Discovery Experience, said she quickly realized she had about as much chance of getting her hands on her grandfather's painting as she did the original, which hangs in the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. A girlfriend who lived with Spicer for his final half-dozen years claimed it as her own. "Right after he died, she kind of snatched it up and said she wanted to keep it. We were all kind of like, 'Uh, what?' " recalled Sunny Spicer. "And how do you tell a 95-year-old lady who has just lost her best friend, and is probably feeling pretty heartbroken ... how do you tell her, 'No?' " On an impulse, Spicer said, she grabbed a marker and wrote "family heirloom" on the painting, and "if found, please call," along with her phone number. "I honestly didn't think we would ever get it back," she recalled. "All my family members were mad at me that I'd written on it, and they said there was no chance it would do any good." Last month, that changed. "My phone rang, and it was a facilities person from the assisted-living facility where my grandfather had lived in Brookings," Spicer said. "He was cleaning out a room and was about to throw a bunch of stuff out and take some boxes to donate when he saw the back of the painting. "He was a really sweet old guy who cleans people's rooms out and said he always felt bad throwing people's belongings away, thinking some of it might have meant something to someone. I don't even know his name, but I'm so grateful that he took the time to call." Sunny's father, John Spicer of Gold Beach, recalled being skeptical that the painting would ever make its way back to the family. "I'm so glad it didn't end up in a Dumpster, and that fate brought it back to us," he said. "It really means a lot to our family." Sunny Spicer said she plans to restore the painting and ensure it never leaves her family's possession again. "Eventually my kids will have it on their walls," she said. "He was just such a beloved man, and we're so happy to have this back." Reach freelance writer Buffy Pollock at [email protected]. By Buffy Pollock for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Buffy Pollock for the Mail Tribune Posted Jun. 14, 2016 @ 4:56 pm » Comment or view comments Terms of Service /* $( document ).ready(function() { // Jquery mobile is trying to style the button and leaving a blank gry button on top of a white button $("#viafouracoms .vf-comment-controls li.vf-right").html(' Submit '); });*/ » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. 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